Improvement in gate-latches



B. F. DlCKE-Y,

"Improvement in Gate-Latches.

Patented April 30, 1872.

TA'IES ATENT FFIOE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATE-LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,191, dated April30, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, BENJAMIN F. DIOKEY, of the township of Marshall, in the county ofCalhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain Improvements inLatches for Automatic Gates, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a latching-stud, connected rigidly with anautomatic gate, and employed in combination with a double-inclinedcatch-bar having a double-incline bearing edge, said catch beingadjusted, guided, and secured, on and to a metal lining-block fastenedto the latching-post, for the double purpose of adjusting the catch fromtime to time to suit the latch, and also to reduce the momentum of thegate at or near the end of its path, that no injurious or disagreeablejar or shock will be produced by contact with the gate-stops.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1exhibits the posts and parts embodying my invention in perspective. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the catch and lining-plate, the gate-stile andlatch being exhibited in dotted lines.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

A represents the post to which the gate is. to be latched, and B is abroken section of the gate, in which 0 is the stile, carrying thefastlatch D. E is the catch-bar, and F the stationarylining-block orplate in which'thecatchbar is guided, and to which it is adjustablybolted. G G are metal stops bolted to the post, and H is the handle,secured to the inner side of the stile, for the more convenientunlatching of the gate by hand.

The latch D is a short bar stud with rounded edge, cast on in the centerof a plate, (1, as shown. The handleHis cast on a similar plate, eachplate having two bolt-holes to correspond, for the reception of twothrough-bolts, by which the latch-plate is secured to the outer face ofthe stile, and the handle-plate to the inner.

The catch-bar is cast in an L shape, with a narrowish horizontal arm,and a wider vertical arm. The extreme end ofthe horizontal branch istapered to an incline, as at e, and a second incline, e, is formed toascend in the same direction from the bottom of the notch or seat, wherethe stud of the latch finally settles when the gate comes to rest.

The stops for the gate are secured to the post, one nearly opposite theupper, and the other the lower end of the gate, and in a line coincidingwith the summit of the second incline e. The vertical branch of thecatch-bar is slotted, as shown, for the purpose of making an adjustableconnection with the lining-plate F,-which plate is fastenedindependently to the post, usually by two countersunk wood screws.

It is best to make horizontal serrations in the contact faces of theslotted branch and lining-plate, to prevent slipping, should the boltsla-cken that connects'them together, and

the serrated face of the catch-branch should have suflicient projectionto enable it to enter and slide between side guide-flanges i, cast onthe lining-plate; and for better security, I usually cast dowel-pins,(one or more,) on the lining-plate and ,stops, to enter snugly intoholes bored in the post.

When any obstruction (in the construction of the gate) prevents the useof the unlatching handle H, in the manner described, I employtwo'divergin g handles cast onthe plate, as shown by the dotted lines,by the use of which any obstruction can be readily avoided, and the gateunlatched from either side by a separate handle springing from a commonbase.

In regard tothe operation and attendant advantages of latches,constructed as herein described, when applied to automatic gates, itwill, perhaps, be suflicient to say that the momentum of such gate isquietly arrested, at or about the period of reaching the stop or stops,by reason of the gate, through the intervention of its latch-stud beingfirst compelled to climb the incline 0, then, after dropping over thenotch in the catch-bar, to ascend the second and steeper incline e, andwhen such momentum is lost, either in the act of ascending thelast-named incline or at the summit, where the gate reaches the stops,the latch-stud will slide back to its seat at the bottom of the incline,and notch without noise or jar.

My latching devices necessitate a means of adjustment, as described, bywhichthe catchbar is readily shifted to maintain its proper relationwith the fixed latch-stud on the gate, and is firmly secured, to resistdisplacement by the latching operation; and, for a similar reason, thehandles will be found a requisite convenience for lifting up the gatewhen it is unlatched by hand.

Claims.

I claim as my invention- The catch-bar E having a double incline e 0,when adjustably fitted, in the manner described, to the plate F 2',formed with a roughened contact-surface and rigidly attached to thegate-post, substantially as and. for the purposes set forth.

BENJAMIN F. DIGKEY.

Witnesses:

G. T. COOK, O. H. COOK.

